Compensations awarded to families of nationals passed away overseas under tragic circumstances

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs awarded compensations amounting to Rs. 58,301,216.40 to the next of kin (NOK) of Sri Lankan nationals who had passed away overseas under tragic circumstances. This event was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombo on 18th February and Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama participated in the event.

Addressing the gathering on this occasion, Foreign Minister Bogollagama stated that Sri Lanka Missions aboard play a crucial role in the lives of all expatriate Sri Lankan nationals living and working abroad as it registers births, marriages and deaths of expatriates, which are important milestones in one’s life, in addition to providing general consular assistance. He also stated that the role of Sri Lanka’s Missions abroad become more significant in countries where there were large expatriate workers and that these Missions were rendering a committed service to the expatriate community.

Foreign Minister Bogollagama also noted that under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka was pursuing a ‘people-centric foreign policy’ and that the Foreign Ministry and Sri Lanka’s Missions abroad were steadfast in serving the Sri Lankan expatriate community aboard.

The Foreign Minister noted that compensation obtained by the Foreign Ministry and Sri Lanka Missions abroad from 12 countries this time, had been paid to the families of 45 expatriate workers from Sri Lanka who had passed away under tragic circumstances.

He observed that a sum of SL.Rs. 210,189,101.40 had been disbursed in compensation in the year 2009. The Foreign Minister appreciated the role played by the officials of the Sri Lanka Missions abroad, Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment, Public Trustee and the Consular Affairs Division in ensuring that the compensations were received and disbursed effectively.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hussein A. Bhaila, Mr. N.S.A.S. Seneviratne, the Public Trustee, Mr. K. O. D. D. E. Fernando, Deputy General Manager (II), Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment, senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representatives from recruiting agencies and the families of Sri Lankan nationals who had passed away overseas under tragic circumstances, also participated at this ceremony.

- Asian Tribune -